Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 312 - 248: Absurd Days_2

Xue Chuchu stood beside the washing machine, her plain white face exuding a cool temperament. She was dressed in a white coat and light blue jeans that were slim and tight, accentuating the seductive curves of her slender legs.

Xue Chuchu put down what she was doing and took out her phone as soon as it rang.

She usually kept her mobile data off to save on data usage, to prevent rogue apps from stealthily consuming her data.

Once, she accidentally left her data on and, overnight, many megabytes from her plan were used up. Xue Chuchu was heartbroken.

She even contacted Xue Yuantong to learn how to prevent apps from using her data without permission.

Although she had learned the trick, Xue Chuchu still habitually turned off her data. Today, she kept it on because she had arranged a picnic with Xue Yuantong in advance.

Now seeing Tongtong’s message, Xue Chuchu replied,

"No worries, I’ll go grocery shopping with you."

Xue Yuantong immediately responded,

"You don’t need to come. I just want him, wuwuwu!"

Xue Chuchu, understanding and sensible, consoled Jiang Ning,

"He must be tired from last night. You said he’s usually very busy, right? It’s likely he was up late preparing for today’s picnic."

Xue Yuantong: "Don’t make excuses for him, it’s pointless. I hate him."

Xue Chuchu didn’t feel like replying anymore; she was exhausted.

She glanced at the large bottle of Coke on the dining table that she had bought in advance for the picnic after learning about it. It had cost her ten yuan.

Xue Chuchu had never been on a picnic before and didn’t know what to prepare. She had even looked it up online a few days ago, where it suggested bringing sushi rice balls. She had wanted to try making them but was worried that Xue Yuantong and Jiang Ning might not like them.

Initially, she planned to buy some fruits, but then she saw the fruits Xue Yuantong was eating the other day and decided against it.

So, she just had a bottle of Coke. Xue Chuchu secretly resolved that if there was work to be done during the picnic, she would definitely do more than her fair share. She wouldn’t always take advantage of Xue Yuantong and Jiang Ning.

Seeing that Tongtong hadn’t reached out to her, Xue Chuchu guessed that whatever happened just now wasn’t serious. Tongtong was probably just being a little moody.

She continued to check the washing machine for faults.

She and her mother lived in a rented apartment with an old-style washing machine, not a fully automatic one. It had two tubs: a larger one for washing clothes and a smaller one for spinning them dry.

Xue Chuchu seldom used the washing machine, usually handwashing her clothes and only relying on the washing machine for larger items.

Last time, her mom noticed that the machine was making strange noises when spinning, but they couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

Being accustomed to frugality, they naturally wouldn’t call someone to repair it.

Although her mother’s salary wasn’t bad nowadays, she still maintained frugal habits. Today, being Qingming Festival, her mother chose to work triple shifts at the company, without taking a day off.

Xue Chuchu used a flashlight to inspect the washing machine and noticed something seemed to be clogging it.

Just as she was about to look for something to clear it, noise and commotion came from outside.

Listening closely, it seemed to be two men arguing.

Xue Chuchu looked resigned. Recently, a young man and an elderly person in the neighboring unit had been at odds over a pet dog, arguing for several days, nearly coming to blows.

Sometimes, late at night, they would curse at each other through their windows. Xue Chuchu had never seen the likes of them before.

The only thing she knew was that neither was a good person.

Previously, she had heard that two female students renting in the building were scared off by the young man knocking on their door in the middle of the night, leading them to move out within a few days.

The old man was even more bizarre; Xue Chuchu encountered him several times with him carrying a pool cue around all day. For some reason, she felt a creepy sense of dread whenever she saw him and would hurry past, as if fleeing.

Sometimes Xue Chuchu found the people she encountered utterly perplexing. Back in the days, the people she knew were kind. However, since coming to Yuzhou City to attend high school, things had changed.

First, there was someone who stole her QQ account and threatened her online.

Then, the two people in her neighborhood, each more terrifying than the last.

Lost in thought, she mused, ’Cities are so dangerous; I really want to go back to the countryside.’

...

"Spill it, what were you up to behind my back last night!"

Xue Yuantong slammed her palm on the armrest of the sofa, as if she was formally interrogating Jiang Ning with full authority.

Jiang Ning lazily got up from the bed and flung off the covers. Xue Yuantong, caught off guard, quickly covered her eyes.

Two seconds later, she said, "That’s it? You’re dressed after all."

Jiang Ning: "Why did you find out so fast?"

"Of course, it’s because I sneaked... I guessed it secretly," Xue Yuantong argued.

Jiang Ning sat on the edge of the bed, close to the sofa.

Xue Yuantong restored her dignity and slapped the sofa again, declaring,

"Jiang Ning, from this moment on, you do not have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used as evidence in court."

She was no longer the first-year high school student Xue Yuantong; she was the supreme, invincible chief judge, and Jiang Ning was her criminal defendant.

Jiang Ning asked, "So what crime am I accused of?"

"I’m telling you now, you’re charged with the crime of lying in bed too long," Xue Yuantong fabricated the charge, accusing him.

Jiang Ning couldn’t help but smirk. Casually, he said,

"I’m not guilty."

"No, if I say you’re guilty, then you’re guilty!" Xue Yuantong was the rule maker.

"Oh?" Jiang Ning watched her with a grin, carefully observing her serious expression. Then, he casually placed his hand on the sofa, inadvertently covering Xue Yuantong’s small hand.

Xue Yuantong immediately felt a warm sensation; Jiang Ning was squeezing her hand, not only warm but also slightly ticklish.